Saint Clare of Assisi and the Order of Poor Ladles Offered by VenerabilisOpus.org Dedicated to preserving the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of humanity. 1503 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from CARLI: Consortium of Academic and Research Libraries in Illinois / http://www.archive.org/details/princessofpovertOOfieg S. Francis S. Clare of ASSISI. {Reproduced j'rom a miniature painting of the 13th Century.) I / THE PRINCESS OF POVERTY '//Mim\ SAINT CLARE OF ASSISI AND- THE ORDER OF POOR Up^S BIBLICTHECA MINORULi. BY FF. or :jy T FATHER MARIANUS FlEGE, O. M. CAP. PROV/A^ V1 ni STiin my PUBLISHED BY The Poor Clares of the Monastery of S EVANSVILLE, IND., IN THE HOLY YEAR OF JUBILEE, 1900. : 6 & '» a APPROBATIONS. NIHIL OBSTAT: H. ALERDING, Censor Deputatus. IMPRIMATUR : t FRANCIS SILAS CHATARD, Bishop of Indianapolis. Indianapolis, February 20th, 1900, NIHIL OBSTAT : FR. JOANNES MARIA, a Lynn Regis, O. M. Cap. FR. LAURENTIUS, a Bristol, O. M. Cap. Censores Deputati* IMPRIMATUR FR. ANTONIUS, A TASSON, O. ML Cap. Min. Prov. Anglise. Die 12a Januarii, 1900. Copyright, 1901, by the Poor Clares of the Monastery of S. Clare, Evansville, Indiana. printed by The Keller Printing and Publishing Co Evansville, Ind., U.*S. A. Pope Alexander IV. on S. Clare " Clare is the Princess of the Poor, The Duchess of the Humble, The Mistress of Virgins, The Abbess of Penitents." {Bull of canonisation of S. Clare, Anagni, September 26th, 1255.) C fHf — — CONTENTS. Title Page * • i Approbations 3 Pope Alexander IV. on S. Clare 5 Contents 7-15 List of Illustrations 16 Dedication • 18 Preface - < « 19 Introduction The Religious State an Integral Element of the Life of the Church 23 Francis of Assisi 24 The Friars Minor and the Poor Clares 28 PART FIRST. ancient Biography of the Venerable Virgin S. Clare of Assisi, Written by Order of Pope Alexander IV. Prologue God's Providence Ever Watches Over His Church . 30 Woman Ordained by God to be the Help-Mate of Man . 31 Pope Alexander a Special Friend of the New Orders » 31 The Writer Yields to the Command of the Pope to Com- pile the Life of S. Clare . 31 Francis an Example for Men, Clare for Women .... 32 The Author Submits his Writing to the Judgment of the Pope • . 32 CHAPTER I. Clare's Holy Birth; Her Saintly Childhood; Her Conversion to a more Perfect life; Her Constancy of Purpose. Clare's Birth-PIace and Parentage .-..•- .33 Piety and Devotion of Clare's Mother 33 Mysterious Forewarning Concerning the Birth of S. Clare . 34 Birth of S. Clare . .......... 34 Early Indications of Clare's Future Sanctity ...... 34 Clare's Charity to the Poor from Her Childhood 35 Her Love of Prayer and Contempt of the World 35 The Virtuous Life of Clare in Her Father's Home did not Remain Hidden . 35 Clare Converses with Francis 36 Francis Urges Clare to Give Herself Wholly to God .... 36 8 CONTENTS. Clare Resolves to Consecrate Her Virginity to Christ ... 37 She Wholly Submits to the Guidance of Francis 37 Francis Advises Clare When and How to Leave Her Father's House . 37 Clare Secretly Leaves Her Home by Night, not Without Some Miraculous Occurrences - 38 Clare Dons the Garb of Penance and the New Order is Placed Under the Protection of Mary 38 Opposition of Clare's Relatives - 39 San Damiano, the Final Abode of S. Clare, the First Mon- astery and Mother-House of the New Order of Poor Ladies 40 CHAPTER II. PUBLIC FAME OF THE VIRTUES OF S. CLARE; HER LOVE OF HUMILITY AND POVERTY; THE MIRACULOUS MULTIPLICATION OF BREAD AND OIL. Clare's Holy Life Draws Innumerable Souls to Follow Her Example ... 41 The Fame of Clare's Holy Life Penetrates into Distant Countries, and Monasteries of the New Order Spring up Everywhere 42 The Great Humility of the Holy Abbess • • « 43 Her Extraordinary Love and Practice of Most High Poverty . 44 A Singular Request Asked for and Obtained ... .45 S. Clare Rejects all Revenues Even when Offered by the Pope .... 45 Miraculous Multiplication of Bread - . • 46 Miraculous Supply of Oil . • .46 CHAPTER III. S. CLARE'S AUSTERE MANNER OF LIVING, AND HER EFFICACY OF PRAYER. Clare's Penances not Confined to the Common Acts of mortification 48 A Rough Hair-Shirt Afflicts her Delicate Body 48 Her Bed the Bare Ground, or a Little Straw 49 Her Excessive Rigor in Fasting . 49 No Trace of Sadness, or Weariness, in Spite of Her Penances . 50 Her Exceeding Great Love of Holy Prayer 50 The Tempter Banished by Her Fervor of Spirit 50 The Visible Effects of Her Fervor in Prayer 51 Her Love of Prayer Shown in Small Matters; Her Vigilance on this Point in Regard to Others • . 51 San Damiano, Together with the City of Assisi, Saved from the Ravages of the Sacarens by the Prayers of S. Clare . 52 Assisi Saved a Second Time through Clare's Intercession . 53 Clare Obtains by Her Prayers the Conversion of Her Sister Agnes . 54 Agnes Persecuted by Her Kinsfolk 55 CONTENTS. 9 Agnes Miraculously Delivered through the Prayers of Her Sister ..." 56 The Demons Expelled through Clare's Prayers ...... 56 The Pope Recommends Himself to the Prayers of S. Clare . 57 CHAPTER IV. Clare's Remarkable Devotion to the Most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist and the Cross of Christ and how by the Sign of the Cross She Wrought Divers Miracles. Clare Makes Corporals for the Blessed Sacrament 58 Clare's Fervor at Holy Communion . 58 Clare Consoled with a Heavenly Vision . 58 Clare's Devotion to the Passion of Christ . - • •• • 59 Clare Falls Into Ecstacy while Meditating Upon the Suffer- ings of Christ ...... 60 Miracles Wrought by the Sign of the Cross . - 61 Stephen, a Friar, Delivered from Insanity 61 A Boy Relieved from a Grievous Obstruction ....... 61 Another Boy Healed of a Sore Eye by Ortolana at Clare's Request. ...„...., 61 Sister Benvenuta Freed from a Malignant Ulcer 62 Sister Amata Cured of Dropsy ... .... 62 Another Sister Recovers the Use of Her Voice 62 Hearing Restored to Sister Christina 62 Five Sisters Healed at Once 63 CHAPTER V. Solicitude of the holy Abbess for Her Subjects Her ecstacy with S. Francis; the Miraculous BLESSING OF LOAVES. Clare Instructs Her Daughters with Special Care 64 Clare's Love and Esteem for the Word of God 65 Clare Appreciates a Good Sermon ............. 65 Her Displeasure at Being Deprived of the Visits of the Friars . 65 Clare's Anxiety for the Bodily Welfare of the Sisters .... 66 Francis Requested to Allow Clare to Break Bread with Him . 66 Francis Yields 67 They Fall Into Ecstacy which is seen by the People as a Vast Conflagration . 67 The Sisters of San Damiano Rejoice at the Return of S. Clare . 68 Clare Visited by the Supreme Pontiff 69 Clare Blesses the Bread at the Bidding of the Pope .... 69 The Sign of the Cross Miraculously Impressed Upon the Loaves 70 Other Wonderful Effects of the Sign of the Cross . .... 70 10 CONTENTS. CHAPTER VI. Last illness of the Holy Virgin; She is Visited by Pope innocent IV; Her Happy Death. Death Preceded by a Number of Infirmities 71 The Vision of a Benedictine Nun and its Fulfillment .... 72 Clare Consoled by a Visit of the Sovereign Pontiff . 72 Grief of the Sisters, Especially of S. Agnes 73 Clare Still Lingers on in a Wonderful Manner 74 Death Approaching at Last ....... 74 Apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary and a Number of Holy Virgins 74 A Most Blissful Death - 76 S. Clare's Honorable Funeral Rites ; Miracles After Death; Her Solemn Canonization. Concourse of the People - 78 The Funeral Rites Presided Over by the Pope 78 The Body Deposited in the Church "of S. George ...... 79 Agnes Follows Her Sister to the Heavenly Reward .... 79 Miracles Attest Clare's Sanctity 80 A Boy Delivered from Diabolical Possession 80 Two More Cases of Diabolical Possession ........ 81 A Youth Freed from Madness . .. 81 A Man Healed of the Falling Sickness 82 A Blind Man Restored to Sight . ..... 82 A Man Recovers the Use of His Right Hand 83 A Boy, Wasted Away with Sickness, Restored to Health and Strength . 84 Two Children, Doomed to be Cripples for Life, made Sound and Whole 84 A Woman Healed of Spinal Weakness 85 A Girl Delivered from Tumors in Her Throat ... 85 A Sister Delivered from a Similar Evil During the Life-Time* of the Saint .... 86 A Boy Rescued from the Fangs of a Wolf .... ... 86 A Girl Delivered from a Similar Attack 87 Solemn Canonization 88 PART SECOND. I. Clare at Home. What Made Assisi Famous. 1. Assisi Famous, not Merely by Reason of the Beauty of its Site ... 91 Assisi Famous, Chiefly for Being the Birth-Place of Francis and Clare 91 2. Some Facts Concerning Clare's Ancestry. The Ancient Biography Strangely Silent as to Clare's Ancestry .93 Clare, by Birth, a Princess of the Noble House of the Counts of Scefi 9^ . 1 CONTENTS. II Sasso Rosso, Clare's Ancestral Place 94 Little Known About Ortolana's Family 94 3. Influence of Clare's Home Surroundings Upon the Form- ation of Her Character. A Child's Character Greatly Depends Upon its Home Surroundings .... 94 Count Favorino, a Man of the World 95 Countess Ortolana, a Devoted Wife and Mother, Yet not Entirely Free from the Spirit of the World ... 96 Buona Guelfuccio, Clare's Most Intimate Friend and Counsellor 97 Clare, Fully Resolved to Consecrate Herself to God, though Outward Circumstances do not Seem to Favor Her Design 99 4.